Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

Originally Posted by squire

Lackluster is exactly what I was thinking.

Well put.
The only stuff that isn't lackluster (tun 1401, and to lesser extent portwood 21yo) is very expensive. So, of the distilleries with readily available single malts, Balvenie remains the most under-represented in my collection (one bottle out of >100).

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

I am not really a Scotch drinker anymore, but I do have a bottle of The Balvenie 15-year old single barrel that I've been nursing for quite a few years. I agree, it is a wonderful whisky and it gives me joy every time I try it. It gives real meaning to the term "honey barrel".

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

I must have gotten a good single barrel (in fact it's 16 years old rather than the minimum 15) because my bottle of Balvenie 15 is one of the best vanilla and honey bombs I've tasted. I think Balvenie might be perfect for people with sweet tooths like me.

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

I am kind of surprised by the amount of vitriol toward this one regarding pricing. Sure some of their expressions, like the 17 year ones, are on the spendier range comparable to others in the market, but the 12, 14 and 15 seem pretty much inline with others. But to say that Tun1401 or the 21 year are expensive seems a little uninformed. I mean compare Macallan 21 year pretty sure that retails for a considerable amount more than the 21 Portwood. And doesn't tun1401 always contain some rather old cask(s) and always get highly rated? I just remember reading something about casks that span a number of decades. So to complain about that being about $300, which does by the way always seem to sell out immediately - I watch at least one shop and it is typically gone within hours of them listing it - doesn't seem fair, but it is hard to compare to others so maybe that is where it comes from.

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

Originally Posted by Virus_Of_Life

I am kind of surprised by the amount of vitriol toward this one regarding pricing. Sure some of their expressions, like the 17 year ones, are on the spendier range comparable to others in the market, but the 12, 14 and 15 seem pretty much inline with others. But to say that Tun1401 or the 21 year are expensive seems a little uninformed. I mean compare Macallan 21 year pretty sure that retails for a considerable amount more than the 21 Portwood. And doesn't tun1401 always contain some rather old cask(s) and always get highly rated? I just remember reading something about casks that span a number of decades. So to complain about that being about $300, which does by the way always seem to sell out immediately - I watch at least one shop and it is typically gone within hours of them listing it - doesn't seem fair, but it is hard to compare to others so maybe that is where it comes from.

Re: Foreign Whisky of the Month - 06/2013: The Balvenie

In respect to price, Balvenie is somewhere in the middle from what I've seen. Plenty more exspensive bottles out there, and a fair amount cheaper. The thing about Balvenie, for me, is that the level of quality is always pretty consistent, so far as I've seen. An exception to this, in my opinion, would be the peated 17. I just did not care for it at all. But generally speaking, I feel like the price they charge is fair. I'd love for it to be cheaper, but that aint gonna happen.